Antonio López de Santa Anna

Antonio López de Santa Anna Pérez de Lebrón (sometimes spelled de Santa Ana) (21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876) was a Mexican general and dictator. He was president of Mexico eleven times. Antonio López de Santa Anna, mid 19th century painting. ... Antonio López de Santa Anna, mid 19th century painting. ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Dictator was the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. ... Seal of the Office of the President of Mexico The President of United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ...

Early Years

Antonio López was born to lower-middle class parents in Xalapa. His father (from Spain), was a minor official in the Spanish colonial bureaucracy; his mother came from France. In 1810 he joined the Spanish military where he rose to the rank of second lieutenant by 1812. He saw action in the service of Spain in attempts to put down Mexican independence revolt. Xalapa, sometimes spelled Jalapa, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz. ...

Military Career

In 1821 he switched sides and declared his loyalty to rebel leader Agustín de Iturbide. He rose to prominence by driving the Spanish forces out of the port city of Veracruz in 1821. Iturbide rewarded him with the rank of General and appointed him Governor of Veracruz. While serving in the military under José Arredondo, Santa Anna learned how to brutely deal with ones enemies. In 1823, however, Santa Anna was among the military leaders supporting the Plan de Casa Mata to overthrow Iturbide and declare Mexico a Republic. In 1823 he turned on Iturbide. Santa Anna played important roles in replacing presidents Manuel Gómez Pedraza and Vicente Guerrero. Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu ( September 27, 1783 – July 19, 1824) was Emperor of Mexico from 1822 to 1823. ... Veracruz is the name of both a state in Mexico and that states largest city. ... 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Plan de Casa Mata was formulated to finish with the monarchy in Mexico and to establish the republic. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... Manuel Gómez Pedraza Manuel Gómez Pedraza was president of Mexico from 1832 to 1833. ... Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña (10 August 1782 – 14 February 1831) was one of the leaders of Mexicos struggle for independence from Spain and an early President of Mexico. ...

In 1829 Spain made its final attempt to retake Mexico, landing a force of 2,600 soldiers at Tampico. Santa Anna marched against them with a smaller force and defeated the Spaniards, many of whom were suffering from yellow fever. Santa Anna was declared a hero, which he much relished, and from then on he styled himself "The Victor of Tampico" and "The Savior of the Fatherland". 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... El Puente Tampico (finished in October 1988) links the states of Tamaulipas and Veracruz and is a major element in the Gulf of Mexico highway system. ... Sir Galahad, a hero of Arthurian legend In many myths and folk tales, a hero is a man or woman (the latter often called a heroine), traditionally the protagonist of a story, legend or saga, commonly possessed of abilities or character far greater than that of a typical person, which...

Politics

Santa Anna declared himself retired, "unless my country needs me". He decided he was needed when Anastasio Bustamante led a coup overthrowing and killing President Vicente Guerrero. Anastasio Bustamante (1780-1853) was President of Mexico from 1832 to 1833 and then from 1839 to 1841. ... Seal of the Office of the President of Mexico The President of United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ... Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña (10 August 1782 – 14 February 1831) was one of the leaders of Mexicos struggle for independence from Spain and an early President of Mexico. ...

Santa Anna seized power in the confusion and then was elected President in 1833. At first he had little interest in actually running the country, giving a free hand to his vice-president Valentín Gómez Farías, a liberal reformer. 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Valentín Gómez Farías Valentín Gómez Farías (1781-1858) was twice acting president of Mexico in the 1830s and 1840s. ...

Gómez Farías worked hard to root out corruption, which stepped on some powerful toes among the military and wealthy landowners and Catholic church. When these voiced their displeasure, Santa Anna dismissed Gómez Farías, declared the Constitution suspended, disbanded the Congress, and worked to concentrate power in the central government. This was applauded by some conservatives but met with considerable disapproval from other sectors. Several states went into open rebellion; San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Durango, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Yucatán, Jalisco and Zacatecas. The Zacatecan militia, armed with.753 British 'Brown Bess' muskets, Baker .61 rifles, lead by Francisco Garcia, was the largest of all the Mexican states. After two hours of combat, on 12 May 1835, the "Army of Operations" defeated the Zacatecan militia and took almost 3,000 prisoners. He let his army ransack the city for forty-eight hours. Santa Anna planned on putting down the rebellion first in Zacatecas then move to Coahuila y Tejas. May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Coahuila y Tejas (or Coahuila and Texas) was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution. ...

Texas

The Texas part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas went into rebellion in late 1835 and declared itself independent on 2 March 1836 (see Texas Revolution and Republic of Texas); Santa Anna marched north to bring the rebellious province back under his control. His forces defeated the small Texas force at the Battle of the Alamo, but Santa Anna was himself in turn defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna was captured by Texas forces the day after the battle on 22 April 1836 and was forced to allow Texan independence on the condition that Texas would remain independent and not accede to the USA. Back in Mexico City, a new government declared that Santa Anna was no longer president and the treaty thus null and void. Coahuila y Tejas (or Coahuila and Texas) was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution. ... 1835 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ... 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Texas Revolution was a war fought between Mexico and the people of the territory that was to become the Republic of Texas. ... National Motto Unknown Official language English de facto nationwide also Spanish, German, and Native American languages regionally Capital Washington-on-the-Brazos 1836 Harrisburg 1836 Galveston 1836 Velasco 1836 Houston 1837–1839 Austin 1839–1845 Largest city San Antonio, Texas Presidents David G. Burnet, Sam Houston, Mirabeau B. Lamar, Anson... The Battle of the Alamo was a battle between Mexican and Texian forces during the Texas Revolution that took place at the Alamo mission in San Antonio in February and March of 1836. ... Battle of San Jacinto Conflict Texas Revolution Date April 21, 1836 Place Houston, Texas Result Decisive Texan victory The Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, took place on April 21, 1836. ... April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ... 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... State nickname: Lone Star State Other U.S. States Capital Austin Largest city Houston Governor Rick Perry Official languages None. ... Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México) is the federal capital of, and largest city in, Mexico. ...

Later years

After some time in exile in the United States, in 1837 he was allowed to return to Mexico to retire at his hacienda. 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Hacienda is a Spanish word describing a vast ranch, common in the Pampa. ...

In 1838 Santa Anna saw a chance to redeem himself when French forces invaded Mexico in the Pastry War. He engaged the French at Veracruz and, in the skirmishing, was hit by a cannon ball. As a result of his injuries, his leg was amputated. He ordered the limb buried with full military honors, and from then on at public events he would ride on horseback holding his wooden leg over his head as a symbol of his sacrifices for his country. Santa Anna held on to control of his troops after the French had left, at first in support of Bustamante, then declaring himself once again President. 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Pastry War (Spanish: Guerra de los pasteles) was an invasion of Mexico by French forces in 1838. ...

Santa Anna's second rule was even more dictatorial than the first. His demands for ever greater taxes aroused ire, and several Mexican states simply stopped dealing with the central government, Yucatán and Laredo going so far as to declare themselves independent republics. In December 1844, opposition had reached the point where Santa Anna decided it was wise to accept an offer (in the interests of avoiding a civil war) to renounce all claims to the Presidency and go into exile in exchange for a generous pension. Santa Anna then moved to Cuba. The Yucatán Peninsula separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. ... Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, on the north shore of the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo), across from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Santa Anna in 1847

In 1846 the United States declared war on Mexico. Santa Anna wrote to Mexico City saying he no longer had aspirations to the presidency but would eagerly use his military experience to fight off the foreign invasion of Mexico as he had in the past. President Gómez Farías was desperate enough to accept the offer and allowed Santa Anna to return. Meanwhile, Santa Anna had secretly been dealing with representatives of the USA, pledging that if he were allowed back in Mexico through the blockades, he would work to sell all contested territory to the United States at a reasonable price. Once back in Mexico at the head of an army, Santa Anna reneged on both of these agreements. Santa Anna declared himself president again and unsuccessfully tried to fight off the United States invasion (see Mexican-American War). Antonio López de Santa Anna in 1847. ... Antonio López de Santa Anna in 1847. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Mexican-American War was a war fought between the United States and Mexico between 1846 and 1848. ...

In 1851 Santa Anna went into exile in Kingston, Jamaica, and two years after moved to Turbaco, Colombia. In 1853 he was invited back by rebellious conservatives, with whom he succeeded in retaking the government. This reign was no better than his earlier ones. He funneled government funds to his own pockets, sold more territory to the United States (see Gadsden Purchase), and declared himself dictator for life with the title "Most Serene Highness". Location of Kingston Kingston (population 600,000) is the capital of Jamaica. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Gadsden Purchase (shown with present-day state boundaries and cities) The Gadsden Purchase is a 29,640 mi² (77,700 km²) region of what is today southern Arizona and New Mexico that was purchased by the United States from Mexico in 1853. ...

Despite his generous pay-offs to the military for loyalty, by 1855 even his conservative allies had had enough of Santa Anna. That year a group of liberals led by Benito Juárez and Ignacio Comonfort overthrew Santa Anna, and he fled back to Cuba. As the extent of his corruption became known he was tried in absentia for treason and all his estates confiscated. He then lived in exile in Cuba, the United States, Colombia, and St. Thomas. During his time in New York City he is credited as bringing the first shipments of chicle, the base of chewing gum, to the United States, but he failed to profit from this since his plan was to use the chicle to replace rubber in carriage tires, which was tried without success. The American assigned to aid Santa Anna while he was in the US, James Adams, conducted experiments with the chicle and called it "Chiclets" which helped found the chewing gum industry. Santa Anna was a passionate fan of the sport of cockfighting. He would invite breeders from all over the world for matches and is known to have spent tens of thousands of dollars on prize roosters. 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Benito Juárez Benito Juárez (March 21, 1806 – July 18, 1872) was a Zapotec Indian who served two terms (1861-1863 and 1867-1872) as President of Mexico. ... Ignacio Comonfort (1812 - 1863 ) was a Mexican politician and military officer. ... St. ... City nickname: The Big Apple Location in the state of New York Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area  - Land  - Water 1,214. ... Binomial name Manilkara chicle (Pittier) Gilly Chicle is the gum from Manilkara chicle, a species of sapodilla tree. ... Chewing gum Chewing gum is a type of confectionery which is designed to be chewed, not swallowed. ... The Cock Fight by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1847) A cockfight is a contest, held in a cockpit between two fighting cocks (roosters) trained to severely injure and/or kill one another. ... This article concerns biological roosters. ...

In 1874 he took advantage of a general amnesty and returned to Mexico. 1874 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Santa Anna died two years later, on 21 June 1876, in poverty and obscurity in Mexico City. His last years were lonely and unhappy. Crippled and almost blind by cataracts he was ignored by the Mexican government when the anniversary of the Battle of Churubusco occurred. June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México) is the federal capital of, and largest city in, Mexico. ... Battle of Churubusco Conflict Mexican-American War Date August 20, 1847 Place Mexico City, D.F. Result U.S. victory The Battles of Churubusco took place on August 20, 1847, in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Contreras (Padierna) during the Mexican-American War. ...

Personal life

Santa Anna married Inez García and fathered five children. She died in 1844. After a month of mourning, the 50-year-old Santa Anna married 15 yar old Maria Dolores and fathered several more children by her. Santa Anna is rumored to have wed Melchora Barrera during his occupation of San Antonio de Bejar in 1836. He sent her back to Mexico City where he provided for her and their child. The Alamo in San Antonio San Antonio is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. ...

In 1897 Santa Anna's grandson by his second marriage, Santa Anna III (1881–1965) entered the Jesuit order.

Valentín Gómez Farías Valentín Gómez Farías (1781-1858) was twice acting president of Mexico in the 1830s and 1840s. ... Seal of the Office of the President of Mexico The President of United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ... José Justo Corro (1794-1864) was interim president of Mexico for two months in 1837. ... Anastasio Bustamante (1780-1853) was President of Mexico from 1832 to 1833 and then from 1839 to 1841. ... Seal of the Office of the President of Mexico The President of United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ... Valentín Canalizo (1794-1850) was acting president of Mexico for four months in 1844. ... Valentín Canalizo (1794-1850) was acting president of Mexico for four months in 1844. ... Seal of the Office of the President of Mexico The President of United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ... José Joaquín de Herrera (1792-1854) was twice president of Mexico. ... Valentín Gómez Farías Valentín Gómez Farías (1781-1858) was twice acting president of Mexico in the 1830s and 1840s. ... Seal of the Office of the President of Mexico The President of United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ... José Manuel de la Peña y Peña (1789-1850) was twice interim president of Mexico. ... Manuel María Lombardini (1802-1853) was acting president of Mexico for two months in 1853. ... Seal of the Office of the President of Mexico The President of United Mexican States is the head of state of Mexico. ... Martín Carrera (1806-1871) was interim President of Mexico for a month in 1855. ...

Sources

• Roberts, Randy & Olson, James S.- "A Line in the Sand";Simon & Schuster;ISBN 0-684-83544-4
• Jackson, Jack & Wheat, John- "Almonte's Texas" ; Texas State Historical Assoc.; ISBN 0-87611-191-6
• Anderson, Fred & Cayton, Andrew- "The Dominion of War"; Viking Press; ISBN 0-670-03370-7